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Sigourney Is The New George On 'Eli Stone'

October 15th, 2008 11:30am EDT

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When last we left everyone's favorite heartless lawyer turned defender of the defenseless, he had just undergone an operation to remove a dangerous aneurysm from his brain. It wasn't clear at the time whether Eli's (Jonny Lee Miller) visions also would disappear once the aneurysm was gone, as that whole "Lostish" science vs. faith argument was a major component of the show's first season. In the end, Eli hoped that with the aneurysm out of his brain, his visions would cease, and he could go back to living a normal live.

Whether or not he could go back to a normal way of life may have been the major question presenting the character of Eli Stone, but we viewers had a much more important question. "Eli Stone" was an inconsistent show last year, as the earlier episodes in particular were especially weak. However, as the season went on, the series grew (for the most part) much more solid, and the characters really started to come into there own (except for Dr. Chen of course, he pretty much remained useless). Thankfully, season two has gotten off to a good start with an episode that, while not spectacular, was very watchable.

Season two starts off on a lively note, as Eli is telling his counselor (Sigourney Weaver) about a vision that he had. While walking down the sunny streets of San Francisco, he stumbles into a massive dance in the streets. This was probably the liveliest and most well choreographed dance number in the series so far, and it was a fun way to start of the season. Elaborate dance sequences are always a sure way to start of a season on the right foot…just ask Drew Carey, he did it for years.

Anyway, Eli has been seeing the counselor regularly for months, as he needs to demonstrate that he is mentally able to practice law. Once he has gotten to that point, she will sign a document that will have him fully reinstated to the bar and able to actively practice. He tells his counselor that he has been trying to live a normal life once again, but he has found that everything around him is changing - and not all for the better. Counselor Sigourney Weaver, doing her best Dr. Chen (James Saito) impression, states the obvious and tells Eli that something in his life is missing. Hmm, wonder what that could be?

A New Prophet?

So what has been going on with some of the other characters? Well, super first year associate Maggie (Julie Gonzalo) is now heading the pro bono department at the firm, and feeling quite overwhelmed without tag team partner Eli backing her up. Taylor (Natasha Henstridge) and Dowd (Sam Jaeger) continue their odd relationship, and Posner (Tom Amandes), the senior partner who possesses an acute hatred of the "new" Eli, has a terrible new haircut that makes him look like an aging 60s rocker desperately trying to recapture his youth. All in all, it's not quite "Boston Legal," but this is not your average law firm.

Then there's Eli's brother, Nate (Matt Letscher). The good doctor experiences a vision (sadly, it does not include George Michael) involving a crane crashing into a bank. Apparently, these visions run in the Stone family. It passed from dad to Eli and now to Nate. The aneurysm appears to be genetic as well - Nate has one of those now too.

Meanwhile, Jordan (Victor Garber) goes off to meet with some slimy mortgage lenders at a bank. Can we guess what happens next? Jordan tells off the lenders, who are reveling in the fact that they single handedly started the collapse of the U.S. economy, and then heads for the stairwell just as that big old crane comes crashing down, destroying the building and trapping Jordan under the debris. Oh, and what bank was it that Jordan was visiting? Why none other than Credit Dauphine, the L.A. bank that housed SD-6 on "Alias." It was a nice little reference to Garber's former series, but it also served as a sad reminder that Jordan Weathersby is no Jack Bristow, and "Eli Stone" is no "Alias."

Eli Returns to Court

Eli and Nate go to see Dr. Chen, who now operates a smoothie bar in addition to his acupuncture business. Chen rambles on for a few minutes about the Grateful Dead, and then chastises Eli for going through with the surgery, saying that it had consequences and now everyone's life has been ruined because of it. As always, one can count on Chen for some moral support.

Eventually, Chen gets around to doing the only thing he is good for, acupuncture. It reveals more of Nate's vision, which shows that Jordan is trapped in the stairwell and not in the conference room like the rescue team thinks.

So, it's back to court. Eli can't make the rescue team change their course of action, and although Taylor, being Jordan's daughter, might be able to…she won't. In court, Eli argues that if the rescue team tries to enter the conference room, they could collapse the stairwell and kill Jordan. Since Jordan is in the stairwell, the team should go there and forget about the conference room. What about the mortgage lenders that were in the conference room when the crane came crashing down? They're mortgage lenders, they deserve to die.

Divine Therapy

After showing up in court, Eli gets a phone call from a man who looks like Wilford Brimley and says that he is Eli's counselor. Wilford explains that Eli had not been in to see him yet and that Eli could not return to court until he signed the paper saying Eli is fit to practice. Eli, thinking that Counselor Sigourney Weaver already signed the paper, is a little surprised when he sees that he is blank.

He returns to Sigourney's office, only to find that it has been abandoned for years. Once inside, however, Sigourney magically appears and Eli realizes that he has not been vision free. All of this time, he had been going to an imaginary counselor once a week (and apparently wasting his money on an imaginary co-pay).

Sig tells Eli that although he wants a normal life, he is meant for more. For him, normal is a failure. She then tells him that because he went ahead and had the aneurysm removed, she (or God, because it's not clear if she is indeed the big G) magically had one grow in Nate's head. If he wants to save Nate, he has to volunteer to be a prophet again. He does so enthusiastically, and the aneurysm instantly returns, along with the visions. All in the world is right again.

Oh yeah, and what about Jordan? Well, Eli loses the case, but he warms Taylor's heart and she agrees to request that the rescue workers look in the stairwell. Jordan comes out safe and sound, and Super Eli once again saves the day.

What did you think of the season premiere? Excited for the new season to unfold? Just how terrible was Tom Amandes' haircut? Leave a comment!